The fall prep sports season got into full swing on the Twin Harbors Tuesday, highlighted by the defending district champion Elma Eagles girls soccer team opening its season against the Adna Pirates.
GIRLS PREP SOCCER
Elma 4, Adna 0
Defending 1A District 4 champion Elma opened its season by blanking Adna 4-0 on Tuesday at Davis Field in Elma.
The Eagles (1-0 overall) were led by Second Team all-state standout Beta Valentine, who had a hat trick and an assist in the victory.
Junior forward Miley Seaberg put Elma on the board when she timed a run on a Valentine through pass to get behind the Pirates defense, slotting a shot into the net for a 1-0 lead in the 11th minute.
RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Elma junior forward Miley Seaberg scored the Eagles’ first goal of the season in the first half of a 4-0 win on Tuesday in Elma.
Elma held possession and had the majority of chances throughout the first half, but still held a one-goal lead until the 32nd minute. Standout goal keeper Emmie Spencer booted a long clearance that soared past midfield. The ball bounced toward an Adna defender, who misplayed the ball, chipping it deeper into Pirates territory. As she is apt to do, Valentine used her speed to make Adna pay for the mistake by outrunning the Pirates defense for a breakaway goal and a 2-0 lead.
In the second half, Valentine scored on a cross from senior midfielder Addie Burgher for a 3-0 lead.
Later in the half, Elma worked the ball through the midfield to Seaberg, who returned the favor of the first goal by sending a through pass to Valentine, who scored for her third goal of the contest.
RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Elma junior forward Beta Valentine scored three goals to lead the Eagles to a 4-0 season-opening win on Tuesday at Davis Field in Elma.
After most of Elma’s players had a successful summer playing club soccer that he had hoped would translate into the fall season, Eagles head coach Evan Valentine felt his team wasn’t as sharp as expected.
“Even though we’ve been playing (in the summer), I think it being the home-opener and everything, in their heads they were really nervous,” he said. “First game of the year, you want it to be great. You have your friends and family watching. I think they maybe let the moment get the better of them a little bit. Our touches were kind of all over the place.”
With three games the first week of the season – including a matchup against Archbishop Murphy in the Montesano Showcase on Saturday – Coach Valentine hopes to see his team regain the form it showed over the summer and continue to improve.
“We’re a great team, we just need to be calm and play soccer,” he said. “What I’m looking for right now is just for us to play our game. We played some really good opponents in tournaments in the summer that were some of the best we’ll see. We played with a lot of confidence and ability and that’s what I want to see. I want to see them play like I know they can.
Elma hosts Centralia at 7 p.m. on Thursday.
Adna 0 0 – 0
Elma 2 2 – 4
Scoring
First half: 1, Elma, Seaberg (Valentine), 11th minute. 2, Elma, Valentine (Spencer), 32nd minute.
Second half: 3, Elma, Valentine (Burgher). 4, Elma, Valentine (Seaberg).
PREP VOLLEYBALL
Hoquiam 3, Toledo 1
Defending 1A Evergreen League champion Hoquiam opened the season with a 3-1 victory over Toledo on Tuesday at Hoquiam Square Garden.
The Grizzlies (1-0) won the first two sets by identical scores of 25-14 before falling in the third set 25-18.
Hoquiam rallied back to take a hard-fought fourth set 25-23 against a Toledo team that Grizzlies head coach Heather Bozich said was “extremely scrappy” and played with two eighth graders.
“(Toledo) passed the ball really well and we had a hard time finding the floor, especially on extended rallies,” Bozich said. “I was very proud of our team for their perseverance and not giving up, especially when we got down. Our inexperience showed a little bit tonight, but that was to be expected and I love how we fought through that.”
Hoquiam was led by setter Katlyn Brodhead (33 assists, 12 digs, 4 aces), Libero Lexi LaBounty (19-21 service, 6 aces, 25 digs), senior Kristina Goulet (8 blocks, 6 solo blocks, 8 kills, 13-13 service, 11 digs, 4 aces), Faith Prosch (11 kills, 17 digs) and Leighann Bratt (14 kills).
Hoquiam’s JV team won 25-10 and 25-13 on Tuesday.
The Grizzlies host Rochester at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.
Toledo 14 14 25 23 – 1
Hoquiam 25 25 18 25 – 3
RYAN SPARKS | THE DAILY WORLD Elma sophomore middle hitter Jenessa Sackrider (3) attempts to block the attempt of La Center’s Whitney Martell during the Eagles’ straight-set loss on Tuesday in Elma.
La Center 3, Elma 0
Elma lost in straight sets to La Center in a season-opening match on Tuesday in Elma.
The Eagles (0-1) were slow to start, falling behind by 10 points early against the perennial district power Wildcats (1-0) and fell 25-8 in the first set.
Elma responded to make it a more competitive second set, but fell 25-20.
The Wildcats then showed their killer instinct, dominating the third set 25-10 to hand the Eagles a season-opening loss.
“This was our first match of the season and we played a powerhouse, which made it for a tough first match,” Elma head coach Kendra Dunn said. “They controlled the first set, but I was proud of how well we bounced back in the second set. We played with energy and grit. I saw a glimpse of what they are capable of as a team and I am looking forward to seeing them grow.”
Elma faces Aberdeen at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Aberdeen.
La Center 25 25 25 – 3
Elma 8 20 10 – 0
Raymond-South Bend 3, Morton-White Pass 1
It was a night of firsts for the Raymond-South Bend Ravens.
First official game as a combination program, and more importantly, recording its first win.
The Ravens put together a solid first outing to defeat Morton-White Pass 3-1 on Tuesday at South Bend High School.
RSB won 25-20, 25-19, 20-25 and 25-22.
The Ravens were led by junior Kyndal Koski (21-24 serve receive, 23 digs), Emily Howell (21-21 service, 7 kills), Kassie Koski (7 kills, 8 blocks) and Berklee Morley (16 assists).
Ava Baugher added six kills for RSB.
With the first victory under the belt, RSB head coach Julie Jewell said her team has some areas of its game it needs to clean up.
“We missed too many serves tonight,” she said, noting the Ravens were off on 13 serves in the match. “That was a big part of our struggles.”
The Ravens JV team won 25-19 and 25-22.
The RSB C-squad split 25-17 and 16-25.
MWP 20 19 25 22 – 1
RSB 25 25 20 25 – 3
Ocosta 3, Willapa Valley 0
Ocosta opened its season with a straight-set victory over Willapa Valley on Tuesday at Willapa Valley High School in Menlo.
The Wildcats (1-0) won 25-12, 25-20 and 25-21.
Ocosta was led by setter Brynn Rasmus (16 assists, 8 aces, 6 digs), who distributed the ball effectively and “had an all-around fantastic game,” according to head coach Erin Snider.
Alexia Bradley (8 kills), Samantha Schlegel (5 kills) and Jolissa Schlegel (4 kills) benefited most from Rasmus’ passing as each recorded multi-kill games.
“I was pleased with the energy level and hustle our team showed tonight,” Snider said. “Our passing and serve-receive were solid, which helped set our offense up for success.”
Ocosta plays at Rainier at 7 p.m. on Monday.
Ocosta 25 25 25 – 3
Willapa Valley 12 20 21 – 0
